Broad Street has musical variety this weekend

Published: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at 03:15 PM.

Broad Street Social Club in downtown New Bern has two shows planned this weekend, beginning with Diali Cissokho & Kairaba on Friday.

Tickets for the 9 p.m. show are $8 at the door.

The Senegal-based band makes a return engagement at the club. The groupis led by Senegalese griot musician Diali Cissokho,who brings the ancient flavor of the griot tradition. His own lineage datesto the 14th century. It mixes with the very current sound of Kairaba. Tradition meets modernity in this band; African music embraces its American offspring, jazz and blues, and the result is a musical experience full of unison melody, adventurous improvisation, fiery solos and polyrhythmic frameworks.

With lyrics in Manding, Wolofand English, Diali Cissokho & Kairaba illuminates its listeners with stories of ancient and modern West Africa and how they relate to today’s universal experiences and emotions.

The band had a recent tour in Senegaland released its debut record.

On Saturday night, The Living Deads perform at 9 p.m. Admission is $7.

The Living Deads live full-time in their RV, design and print their own T-shirts and book their own tours.

Broad Street Social Club in downtown New Bern has two shows planned this weekend, beginning with Diali Cissokho & Kairaba on Friday.

Tickets for the 9 p.m. show are $8 at the door.

The Senegal-based band makes a return engagement at the club. The groupis led by Senegalese griot musician Diali Cissokho,who brings the ancient flavor of the griot tradition. His own lineage datesto the 14th century. It mixes with the very current sound of Kairaba. Tradition meets modernity in this band; African music embraces its American offspring, jazz and blues, and the result is a musical experience full of unison melody, adventurous improvisation, fiery solos and polyrhythmic frameworks.

With lyrics in Manding, Wolofand English, Diali Cissokho & Kairaba illuminates its listeners with stories of ancient and modern West Africa and how they relate to today’s universal experiences and emotions.

The band had a recent tour in Senegaland released its debut record.

On Saturday night, The Living Deads perform at 9 p.m. Admission is $7.

The Living Deads live full-time in their RV, design and print their own T-shirts and book their own tours.

With Randee McKnight on drums/vocals and Symphony Tidwell on upright bass/vocals, they have made a name for themselves across the United Statesand Canada.

In a release, the rockabilly said they have “set out to turn the tables on the traditional way things are done in a band. Normally, it is the guitar player/singer who makes the calls. The Living Deads would rather throw a burlap sack over the head of tradition and start making demands.”

Upcoming bands at Broad Street include The Morning After on April 5.

The band release touts an eclectic Motown sound, fueled by bluegrass, dripping with soul with just a touch of Latin and jazz.

Lead vocalist, Rachel Koontz employs a commanding, soulful style reminiscent of the Motown sound of the 1960sand 1970s. Pattie “Pips”Hopkins adds a soulful voice to balance the soaring violin and fiddle.

The backline has Jamie Dawson on bass and Mike Rosado on drums.

The Morning After is rounded out by banjo and mandolin players Hank Smith and Shawn Chase.

The band offers aneclectic mix of soul, rock, jazz, Latin and bluegrass.

On April 6, The Swayback Sisters, an all-female, close harmony trio based out of Asheville, comes to Broad Street. They specialize in old-school country soul, Appalachian-style folk ballads and acoustic blues.

The Swayback Sisters draw heavily on the music that came before them, and pay homage to musicians such as Memphis Minnie, Ola Belle Reed and Bessie Smith, to name a few.